Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to an improved automotive radar antenna design and, more particularly, to a flexible, printable radar antenna design with an artificial impedance surface, where the antenna has an aperture area large enough to dramatically improve radar angular resolution, and the antenna is flexible enough to be mountable on an inside or outside surface of a vehicle bumper, body panel, glass or other surface.
Description of the Related Art
Radar systems onboard vehicles have become very common, as driver assistance systems such as lane departure warning and collision warning/avoidance have gained in popularity. Until now, the packaging of radar sensors on vehicles has been problematic, both in terms of the cost of producing the sensors and assembling them into the vehicle, and in terms of the aesthetics of the vehicle.
Traditional radar sensors are three-dimensional prismatic objects which are produced by a sensor manufacturer, including an outer case, internal components, an aperture, weather seals, etc. Such a radar sensor must then be incorporated into a vehicle during final vehicle assembly, often including using brackets or housings to hold the sensor in place, providing openings in bumper fascias or other surfaces for the radar sensor aperture, and the associated handling and alignment process steps. Both the manufacture of the traditional radar sensor and its assembly into a vehicle add cost to the vehicle.
Furthermore, there is an undesirable aesthetic effect in providing openings in bumper fascias or other vehicle body surfaces for the radar sensor aperture. Vehicle styling designers and customers would much prefer not to have these holes in vehicle body surfaces.
Until now, there has been no way to avoid the cost and negative aesthetics of multiple bulky radar sensors on a vehicle without giving up radar signal quality.